Roll picker



' Dec. 16, 1941. w. B. JACKSON 2,266,461. 4

ROLL PICKER Filed Dec. 26', 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Dec. 16, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I Y 7 2,266,461 a ROLL PICKER William Barnett Jackson, Macon, Ga; Application December 26, 1940, Serial: No. 371,807 (oi. 15-3) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to roll pickers of a generally similar nature to that constituting the subjectmatter of my U. S.-.Patent No. 2,151,111, issued on March 21, 1939, upon which the present device constitutes an improvement. 7

The primary objectof 'thisinvention is to provide a roll picker of the aforementioned character comprising unique pneumatically operated means for rotating the needle or spindle for winding the waste cotton thereon and for sliding said needle or spindle longitudinally in a manner to strip said waste cotton therefrom,

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a roll picker of the character described embodying novel means for controlling the rotary and reciprocating or slidingmovement of the needle.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an air actuated roll picker which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact, light in weight and which may be manufactured at low cost. 7

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

' Figure 1 is a top plan view of a roll pick-er constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the device, taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical longitudinal section, showing the needle in retracted position.

Figure 4 is a view in front elevation of the de- V106:

Figure 5 is a crosssectional view, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an elevational View of the air actuated rotor, looking at the rear end thereof.

Figure 7 is a detail View inperspective of the air control valve.

a Figure 8 is a View in end elevation of the needle.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the present invention which has been illustrated comprises a cylinder I of suitable metal. here state that the cylinder I is form-ed to provide a handle. The bore 2 of the cylinder I is closed at its rear end by a removable plug 3 It may be well to screwed into said cylinder. Communicating with the rear portion of the cylinder I is a vent 4.

The forward end portion of the cylinder I has formed therein a comparatively large chamber 5 with which the bore 2 communicates. The forward end of the chamber 5 is closed by a removable plug 6 which is threaded into said chamber. Mounted in the chamber 5, immediately adjacent the closure plug 6, is a ball or other suitable bearing 1. Journaledat an intermediate point in the bearing 1 is a tubular shaft 8 the forward end portion of which extends rotatably into an opening provided therefor in the closure plug 6. Mounted on the rear end portion of the tubular shaft 8, immediately adjacentthe bearing 1, is an air operated rotor 9 which is operable in the chamber 5. Projecting rearwardly from the ro tor 9 into' the bore 2 of the cylinder I is a female clutch member IO which is shown to advantage in Figure 6 of the drawings.

Rotatably-and slidably mounted in the tubular shaft, 8 is a needle or spindle I I of suitable metal comprising a tapered ,forward end portion I2 which is substantially square in cross section. On therearend of the needle II is a piston or the like I3 which is operable in the cylinder I. A coil spring I4 in the cylinder I yieldingly urges the piston I3 forwardly, Fixed on the needle I! adjacent the piston I3 but spaced forwardly therefrom is a male clutch member I5 which is engageable in the female clutch member I6 for connecting the needle II to the rotor 9 for actuation thereby.

, Extending longitudinally in the cylinder I from the rear end thereof is an air passage I6 which communicates, at its forward end, with the chamber 5. Connected to the rear end of the cylinder I and communicatingwith the passage It is a conduit I1 from a .suitable source of air under pressure. Intersecting the forward portion of the passage I6 is a radial cylindrical chamber I1 in the cylinder I. A capor screw. plug I8 closes the outer end of the chamber I1. An air passage I9 establishes communication between the chamber I1 and the bore 2 of the cylinder .I.

Mounted for reciprocation in the chamber I1 is a piston type valve 20. The valve 20 has formed therein a diametrically extending port 2| for the passage of air to the chamber 5 through the passage I6. Also formed in the valve 20 is an angular Y port 22 for establishing communication between the passage I6 and the forward portion of the cylinder bore 2 through the passage I9. Projecting from the valve 20 is a stem 23 which extends slidably through the closure plug or cap I8. Rising from the cylinder I is a lug 24. Pivotally mounted on the lug 24 is a thumb lever 25 having its forward end portion pivotally connected to the stem 23. A coil spring 26 encircles the stem 23 in the outer portion of the chamber l1 and yieldingly urges the valve 20 inwardly to the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

In operation, the forward end portion I2 of the needle I I is held adjacent the rolls to be cleaned, as at 21. With the valve 20 in the position illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, air enters the chamber 5 from the passage I6 and drives the rotor 9. Ports 28 communicate with the chamber 5 for exhausting this air therefrom. The rotor 9 rotates the needle II through the engaged clutch members Ill and I5. When the needle II is thus rotated the end portion I2 thereof picks the waste cotton from the rolls 2! and winds said waste cotton on said needle. This waste cotton on the rolls 21 is indicated at 29. When it is desired to remove the waste cotton from the needle I I, the valve 20 is raised to the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings against the tension of the coil spring 26 through the medium of the thumb lever 25. With the valve 20 in this position air under pressure from the passage I6 enters the bore 2 of the cylinder I forwardly of the piston I3. Thus, the piston I3 is moved rearwardly in the cylinder I against the tension of the coil spring I4 thereby retracting the needle I I. This movement of the needle II disengages the male clutch member I5 from the female clutch member It] thus disconnecting said needle from the rotor 9. When the needle II is retracted in this manner the wastecotton is stripped therefrom by the tubular shaft 8. As the piston I3 moves rearwardly the air in the bore 2 escapes through the vent 4. Air entering the cylinder bore 2 from the passage I6 also is exhausted through the vent 4 when the piston I3 passes said vent in its rearward movement. When the thumb lever 25 is released the coil spring 26 returns the valve 20 to the position of Figure 2. The spring I4 now moves the piston I3 and the needle II forwardly for reengaging the clutch members I5 and Ill,

thus again connecting said needle I I to the rotor 9 for rotation thereby. The piston I3 has sufflcient freedom in the cylinder to permit escape of air from the cylinder during forward movement of the piston and after the piston has passed the vent 4.

It is believed that the many advantages of a roll picker constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A roll picker comprising a handle, a needle ro-tatably and slidably mounted in said handle, and fluid actuated means for rotating and sliding said needle in said handle.

2. A roll picker comprising a handle, a needle rotatably and slidably mounted in said handle, fluid operated means for rotating the needle, fluid operated means for sliding said needle, and com-- mon means for controlling the flow of fluid to the first and second named means.

3. A roll picker comprising a handle, a needle rotatably and slidably mounted in said handle, fluid operated means for rotating the needle, fluid operated means for sliding said needle, and common means for selectively controlling the flow of fluid to the first or second named means.

4. A roll picker comprising a handle having a cylinder therein, a fluid operated rotor operative- 1y mounted in the handle, a needle extending rotatably and slidably through said rotor, a fluid operated piston on the needle operable in the cylinder, means releasably connecting the needle to the rotor for rotation th'ereby, and means for controlling the flow of fluid to the rotor and to the cylinder.

5. A roll picker comprising a handle having a cylinder therein, said handle further having a chamber therein and still further having an air passage therein communicating with the chamber and cylinder, a fluid actuated rotor operatively mounted in the chamber, a needle extending slidably and rotatably through said rotor, a fluid operated piston on the needle slidable in the cyl inder, a valve for selectively controlling the flow of the fluid to the chamber or to the cylinder, the piston being operable in one direction by the fluid, means for actuating said piston and the needle in the opposite direction, and means releasably connecting the needle to the rotor for actuation thereby when said needle is moved in said opposite direction.

6. A roll picker comprising a handle having a longitudinal cylinder therein, said handle further having a chamber therein communicating with the cylinder at its forward end, a fluid operated rotor operable in the chamber, a clutch member on said rotor, a needle extending slidably and rotatably through said rotor, a piston on said needle slidable in the cylinder and operable in one direction by the fluid, a spring in the cylinder for moving the piston and the needle in the opposite direction, a clutch member on the needle engageable with the first named clutch member for connecting the needle to the rotor for rotation thereby, and valve means: for selectively controlling the flow of the fluid to the chamber or to the cylinder.

'7. A roll picker of the character described comprising an elongated handle having a cylinder therein and further having a chamber therein communicating with the cylinder, a bearing in the chamber, a tubular shaft journaled in said bearing, a fluid actuated rotor mounted on said shaft and operable in said chamber, a, female clutch member on said rotor, a needle extending rotatably and slidably through the tubular shaft into the cylinder, a piston on said needle slidable in the cylinder and operable rearwardly by fluid pressure, a spring in the cylinder for returning the piston and the needle to forward position, a male clutch member on the needle engageable in the female clutch member for connecting the needle to the rotor for rotation thereby when said needle is in forward position, and common means for selectively controlling the flow of fluid under pressure to the chamber or to the cylinder.

WILLIAM BARNETT J ACKSON. 

